


Bad Guy Blues

by MiniNephthys



Category: 1bitHeart (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The hackers are given their last options.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Guy Blues

Mikado gathers the former hackers one last time with a polite invitation. ‘You’re free to attend, or not attend,’ he says over Mutter. ‘But I thought it would be fair for me to elaborate on some things I’ve kept hidden, while I can.’

They all attend, for curiosity or other reasons. Mikado waits patiently for them in the control room, and once all of them are there, begins to speak.

“I wanted to thank you one last time. Even if our goals diverged towards the end, you did work with me for quite a while, and I know it must have been difficult.”

Kirai snorts. “‘Course it was, ‘cause you’re so annoying.”

“Kirai,” Kotora says, but there’s not much energy in his chiding.

Mikado’s smile doesn’t so much as flicker. “I am, aren’t I? Well, luckily for you, you won’t have to deal with me much longer. In fact, there’s a very good chance you won’t even remember ever having to.”

Four sets of eyebrows raise.

“If you’re planning to delete our memories,” starts Nomiya, but Mikado is already shaking his head.

“Nothing like that, I promise,” he says. “If you could keep them, I would let you, but… Hm. It might be easier just to show you what I mean.”

In a second, he’s not Mikado any longer, or at least not in appearance. An older version of who is unmistakably Nanashi stands before them, a polite smile on his face.

“...My,” says Tobari. “Some sort of time travel?”

“You always were quick on the uptake,” says Mikado, or Nanashi, or whoever. “Yes, I did come here from the future. But events have changed the current me, and when I go back, ‘I’ will probably cease to exist. History will rewrite itself to fill in the gaps, and even I don’t know to what degree your memories will be altered. However, without me to write the Master Program in the first place, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll remember hacking into it. And thus, you probably won’t remember meeting each other.”

Kirai makes a ‘tch’ sound. Kotora looks uncomfortable. Nomiya folds his arms and looks away. Tobari hides her face behind her veil.

Nanashi doesn’t stop smiling, but his voice is somewhat more subdued. “I have no idea if you care, or if you were all merely attached to each other in a professional sense. Bonds between people are what I understand the least. However, if you’d like to retain your memories of each other, you might now see each other as much as possible outside of a hacking context, and hope that those relationships will stay in some form or another. I’m leaving at the end of the week, so you have that much time. It isn’t a guarantee, but I thought you deserved the opportunity to try. ...That’s all.”

Mikado turns to leave, pulling his more familiar form back on.

“Wait!” When Mikado looks back, Kotora rubs the back of his neck. “...You’re awfully calm about dying.”

Mikado smiles again. “I’m leaving the future to someone who will take better care of it, so I don’t mind. But thank you for your concern. I’ll remember that fondly.”

After Mikado leaves, as short silence hangs in the room.

Nomiya breaks it by coughing. “So… Not like it’s a big deal, or anything, but I’ve got a bunch of video games I haven’t played with anybody yet. Zetta boring without player two.”

“How exactly like you to make excuses,” Tobari says. “I might stop by.”

“I can cream you in any game you try,” says Kirai.

“What? You’ve got an infinitesimal chance, kid!”

Kotora sighs. “I guess I’d better go just so you two don’t kill each other,” he says, and tries not to smile.


End file.
